Athletic Shoe

ABSTRACT

A shoe having a toe box that is capable of being opened during exercise. The shoe also allows the remaining structure of the shoe to stay intact for adequate support and foot control during exercise. The athletic shoe includes a flap disposed along the toe box. The flap begins between the end of the laces and the front of the shoe and extends around the toe box to a similar point on the opposite side of the shoe. In the open position, the flap is provided with a fastener for holding it against the tongue. In the closed position, the flap is provided with a fastener such as a zipper for attaching the edge of the flap to the adjacent material of the toe box.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to footwear and specifically toa running style athletic shoe designed such that the toe box can beopened and held open during exercise activities.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

During jogging or running a large percentage of the population uses theextensor muscles of the toes to cause dorsiflexion of the foot duringthe swing phase. This movement is in contrast to using the tarsalmuscles. During this movement, the toes are traumatically forced intothe upper inside surface of the toe box of the shoe. This impact resultsin constant irritation to the dorsal surface of the toe which may resultin an injury commonly referred to as “runners toe.” Accordingly, thereis a need for an athletic shoe that opens in the toe box section toeliminate the impact between the digits and the toe box.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention meets the above described need by providing a shoethat allows the toe box to be opened and held open during exercise. Inorder to function properly, the shoe must also allow the remainingstructure of the shoe to stay intact for adequate support and footcontrol during running. The athletic shoe of the present inventionincludes a flap having an edge disposed in the toe box section of theshoe. The flap begins at a point on a first side of the shoe near thefront and extends around the toe box to a similar point on the oppositeside of the shoe. In the open position, the flap is provided with afastener or the like for holding it against the tongue. In the closedposition, the flap is provided with a fastener such as a zipper forattaching the edge of the flap to the adjacent material of the toe box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like referencecharacters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the athletic shoe of the presentinvention; and,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the athletic shoe of the present inventionwith the top of the shoe shown in the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, an athletic shoe 10 of the present invention has anoutsole 13 connected to an upper section 16. The outsole 13 is connectedto the upper section 16 in a conventional manner as will be evident tothose of ordinary skill in the art. The upper section 16 includes a toebox 19 at the front 29, a heel counter 22 at the rear of the shoe 10,and an ankle collar 23. The upper section 16 also includes a tongue 25.A first eye stay 28 extends along the upper section 16 along one side ofthe tongue 25. A second eye stay 29 (shown in FIG. 2) is disposed on theother side of the tongue 25 on the opposite side of the upper section16. The eye stays 28, 29 have a plurality of eyelets 31. The eye stays28, 29 may be separate or may be formed by a unitary U-shaped member. Ashoe lace 34 is inserted through the eyelets 31 to secure the uppersection 16 over the top of the wearer's foot. A retractable flap 37 isdisposed across a portion of the toe box 19. The flap 37 may be providedwith a curved edge 40 that extends from one side of the upper section 16to the opposite side. The edge 40 of the flap 37 may be attached toadjacent material inside the toe box 19 by means of a fastening devicesuch as a zipper 43. Other fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners,buttons, or the like may also be suitable. The edge 40 of the flap 37may extend from a first position 42 on the left hand side near the front29 of the shoe 10. The first position 42 may be located between theeyelets 31 on the first stay 28 and the front 29 of the shoe 10.

The top surface 44 of the flap 37 may be provided with a hook and loopfastening material 46. The hook and loop fastening material 46 mayengage with a mating hook and loop fastening material 49 disposed on atongue holder 52. The tongue holder 52 is a loop formed in the topsurface of the tongue 25 for receiving the laces 34 to hold the tongue25 in place. As an alternative, the hook and loop fastening material 46may be disposed on the flap 37 and not on the tongue holder 52. In thisarrangement, the hook and loop fastening material 46 may engage directlywith the laces 34 or other materials on the upper section 16.

Turning to FIG. 2, the shoe 10 is shown with the flap 37 in theretracted position to expose the foot 55 of the wearer. A pull tab 58for the zipper 43 is shown. The pull tab 58 has been moved to the leftside of the shoe where it releases the flap 37 from the remainder of thetoe box 19. The flap 37 has been folded upwarded onto the tongue 25, andthe flap 37 is attached to either the laces 34 or to a cooperating hookand loop fastener material 49 disposed on the top surface of the tongueholder 52. The inside surface 59 of the flap 37 is exposed in the openconfiguration. The insole 61 is visible through the opening formed inpart by the ankle collar 23.

While the invention has been described in connection with certainembodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention tothe particular forms set forth, but, on the contrary, it is intended tocover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may beincluded within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An athletic shoe, comprising: an outsole; anupper section supported at least in part by the outsole, the uppersection including a toe box, a tongue, a first eye stay disposed along afirst side of the tongue, and a second eye stay disposed along a secondside of the tongue, a plurality of eyelets disposed in each of the firstand second eye stays; a flap having an edge, the edge extending from apoint on a first side of the shoe disposed near the front of the shoe toa point on a second side of the shoe disposed near the front of theshoe, the edge being removably attached to a corresponding edge of thetoe box by a fastener, the flap having a top surface; wherein the shoeis capable of being disposed in a closed configuration where the flap isattached to the toe box by the fastener and the shoe is capable of beingdisposed in an open configuration where the flap is folded back andsecured to the upper section of the shoe such that an opening is createdin the toe box.
 2. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the fastenerfor removably attaching the flap to the toe box is a zipper.
 3. Theathletic shoe of claim 1, wherein a top surface of the flap is providedwith one of a hook and loop fastener.
 4. The athletic shoe of claim 3,wherein the tongue further comprises a tongue holder having one of ahook and loop fastener disposed thereon.
 5. The athletic shoe of claim1, wherein the edge of the flap has zipper teeth disposed thereon. 6.The athletic shoe of claim 5, wherein the edge of the toe box adjacentthe flap has zipper teeth disposed thereon.
 7. The athletic shoe ofclaim 1, further comprising a shoelace disposed through the eyelets onopposite sides of the tongue.
 8. The athletic shoe of claim 1, whereinthe flap extends along an arc at the front of the shoe.
 9. The athleticshoe of claim 1, wherein the edge of the flap extends along the topsurface of the shoe, the top surface disposed in spaced apart relationto the front of the shoe.
 10. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein theedge of the flap extends from a point on a first side of the shoedisposed between the eyelets on the first stay and the front of theshoe.
 11. An athletic shoe, comprising: an outsole; an upper sectionsupported at least in part by the outsole, the upper section including atoe box, a tongue, a first eye stay disposed along a first side of thetongue, and a second eye stay disposed along a second side of thetongue, a plurality of eyelets disposed in each of the first and secondeye stays; a flap having an edge, the edge extending from a point on afirst side of the shoe disposed near the front of the shoe to a point ona second side of the shoe disposed near the front of the shoe, the edgeof the flap extending to a top surface of the toe box that is disposedin spaced apart relation to the front of the shoe, the edge of the flapbeing removably attached to a corresponding edge of the toe box by azipper, the flap having a top surface; wherein the shoe is capable ofbeing disposed in a closed configuration where the flap is attached tothe toe box by the zipper and the shoe is capable of being disposed inan open configuration where the flap is folded back and the top surfaceof the flap is secured to the upper section of the shoe such that anopening is created in the toe box.
 12. The athletic shoe of claim 11,wherein the top surface of the flap has one of a hook and loop fastenerdisposed thereon.
 13. The athletic shoe of claim 11, wherein the edge ofthe flap extends from a point on a first side of the shoe disposedbetween the eyelets on the first stay and the front of the shoe.